CHAPTER

15

SUMMARY

Waves and their properties: A wave is any disturbance

that propagates from one region to another. A mechanical wave travels within some material called the
medium. The wave speed v depends on the type of
wave and the properties of the medium.
In a periodic wave, the motion of each point of the
medium is periodic with frequency f and period T. The
wavelength l is the distance over which the wave pattern repeats, and the amplitude A is the maximum displacement of a particle in the medium. The product of l
and equals the wave speed. A sinusoidal wave is a
special periodic wave in which each point moves in
simple harmonic motion. (See Example 15.1.)
Wave functions and wave dynamics: The wave function
y1x, t2 describes the displacements of individual particles in the medium. Equations (15.3), (15.4), and (15.7)
give the wave equation for a sinusoidal wave traveling
in the +x-direction. If the wave is moving in the
-x-direction, the minus signs in the cosine functions are
replaced by plus signs. (See Example 15.2.)
The wave function obeys a partial differential equation called the wave equation, Eq. (15.12).
The speed of transverse waves on a string depends
on the tension F and mass per unit length m. (See
Example 15.3.)

v = lf

Wave
speed
v

Wavelength l

Each particle of
Amplitude A rope oscillates
in SHM.

y1x, t2 = A cos cv a

x
- tb d
v

x
= A cos 2p a - tb
v

(15.3)

Wavelength l

x
t
y1x, t2 = A cos 2pa - b
l
T

(15.4)
A

y1x, t2 = A cos1kx - vt2

(15.7)

where k = 2p>l and v = 2pf = vk

0 2y1x, t2
0 x2
v=

Wave power: Wave motion conveys energy from one

region to another. For a sinusoidal mechanical wave,
the average power Pav is proportional to the square
of the wave amplitude and the square of the frequency.
For waves that spread out in three dimensions, the
wave intensity I is inversely proportional to the
square of the distance from the source. (See
Examples 15.4 and 15.5.)

(15.1)

F
Am

Pav =

1
2

2
1 0 y1x, t2

v2

0t2

Period T

(15.12)

(waves on a string) (15.13)

2mF v2A2

Wave power versus time t

at coordinate x 5 0

(15.25)

(average power, sinusoidal wave)

I1
=
I2

r 22
r 12

(15.26)

Pav 5 12 Pmax
0

(inverse-square law for intensity)

Wave superposition: A wave reflects when it reaches a

boundary of its medium. At any point where two or
more waves overlap, the total displacement is the sum
of the displacements of the individual waves (principle
of superposition).

y1x, t2 = y1 1x, t2 + y2 1x, t2

(principle of superposition)

Standing waves on a string: When a sinusoidal wave is

reflected from a fixed or free end of a stretched string,
the incident and reflected waves combine to form a
standing sinusoidal wave with nodes and antinodes.
Adjacent nodes are spaced a distance l>2 apart, as are
adjacent antinodes. (See Example 15.6.)
When both ends of a string with length L are held
fixed, standing waves can occur only when L is an integer multiple of l>2. Each frequency with its associated
vibration pattern is called a normal mode. (See
Examples 15.7 and 15.8.)

(15.28)
y1x, t2 = 1ASW sin kx2 sin vt
(standing wave on a string,
fixed end at x = 0)
v
= n1 1n = 1, 2, 3, 2
n = n
2L

Pmax

Period T

(15.27)

(15.33)

1
F
2L A m
(string fixed at both ends)
1 =

(15.35)

A
l
2

N
2

5L

l
2

5L
A

3 l2 5 L
N

A
4

N
l
2

5L

499